Why it’s illegal to take photos of the Eiffel Tower at night

It's all because of that razzle dazzle

Paris may be known as the City of Light, but the next time you’re basking in the glow of the city’s greatest monument—La Tour Eiffel—you may want to think twice about documenting it.

Unbeknownst to the average tourist or ‘Gram-obsessed social media star, it’s actually illegal to photograph at night because it’s an artistic creation still under copyright.

Well, sort of…

According to European Copyright Law, such monuments are protected for the lifespan of the work’s legal creator—plus 70 years. The Tower’s creator, Gustav Eiffel, died in 1923, so in 1993 it re-entered public domain, but there’s still un petit problème: The lights installed by Pierre Bideau didn’t ignite until 1985, which means night-time images and videos that feature his choreographed light show are still protected under the law.

Technically, according to La Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), the building’s operating company, those wishing to publish a photo need to request permission, pay for rights, and then credit the artist appropriately. Otherwise, there’s risk of fines.

That said, the law is primarily aimed at commercial use. Those taking and sharing images for personal purposes need not worry about learning how to say, “Can I share this on my newsfeed?” in French. But anyone who prefers to err on the side of caution can add “SETE – Illuminations Pierre Bideau” to their caption and wait for the likes to come in.

“We are talking about a monument photographed thousands of times per day,” says leisure and brand photographer Marc Nouss. “I still shoot it without mentioning anything, as everyone does. But I wouldn’t take the risk by selling one taken at night.”

Photographer Aurore Alifanti agrees: “If we publish a picture as a form of publicity for France, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

It’s really the sign we all needed to keep the phone camera off and make some memories next time we’re watching the Eiffel Tower light show.